Need a big fat tome to read on holiday - any recommendations?

[twostraightlines]

I like historical novels - loved Robert Harris Pompeii and Kate Mosse Labyrinth and need something gripping for this year.

not historical, but I really love anything by Penny Vincenzzi for holiday reading. Windfall is set in the 1930's and is really good. They are not remotely high brow and a bit trashy, but they are nice and long and I have found most of them gripping. There are lots of reviews on Amazon.

I loved Labyrinth too. Will have a look at Pompeii.

Not historical but have you read The girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy? On the second book and enjoying.

Isabel Allende - Daughter of Fortune is good. Haven't read her others. On the to do list.

I think Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver is supposed to be good.

I know this much is true by Wally lamb had me gripped in the summer after my exams, years ago but I remember getting so lost in it

SEven Types of Ambiguity by Elliot Perlman was also interesting and another fattie.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. 2009 M. Booker Prize-winner, but don't let that put you off. Insightful look at court of Henry VIII via character of Thomas Cromwell. As subtle and clever as TV's The Tudors is heavy-handed and silly. But then I love everything by Mantel.

If you like historical novels, have you tried 'Sea of Poppies' by Amitav Ghosh. It is the first part of a trilogy. The second part 'River of Smoke' was just recently published. Those two should keep you going.

Great! an excellent selection. Will investigate all those, thank you all.

Have you read any of the Shardlake novels by C J Sansom? They are cracking.

have you read A suitable Boy by Vikram Seth? 1100 pages of fabulousness!!!!

ken Follet - Pillars of The Earth, is really enjoyable and fat

My dad loved the Shardlake novels and they are all still at mum's, waiting for me I just can't get them before the hols! They are definitely on my list for future reading, as are Ken Follet's books, Dad had lots of his too. A Suitable Boy is one I have read and is utter fab I agree.

how do u get time to read on holiday?? I bought a book at the beginning of my holiday last week and havent even looked at one page. What am I doing wrong?

Yy to CJ Sansom.

This Thing Of Darkness is big and gripping and historical and well-researched AND well-written. Totally recommend it.

Lots of people like Ian Pears (sp?) for historical novels - An Incidence Of The Fingerpost and Stone's Fall. They are okay but over-written and too reliant on coincidence/clunky 'twists' imho.

Not historical but The Passage by Juston Cronin is good and pretty hefty.

JustIn - I seem to have lost the ability to type/spell today.

Gone with the wind. Just finished it. 1700 pages. But I loved it and I learnt a lot too!

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is excellent too, and also second the Wally Lamb suggestion!

Pillars of the Earth is fantastic. Couldn't put it down.

I struggled to get through The Poisonwood Bible.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton is good.

I gave up on Poisonwood Bible and absolutely hated the one kate Morton I tried (forgotten the title though, sorry).

The Ken Follet one is suitably huge and quite enjoyable, although not terribly well-written. The villain is v one-dimensional. I preferred the sequel, which was a bit more subtle. He's good on strong female characters though.

Arianna Franklyn worth a look for historical novels with strong female characters - not tomes though.

If you like very historical then The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel is good and fairly hefty length-wise but not hard-going at all. It's about early humans and is fantasically researched and well-written too. It's the first of a series of six I think.

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon are all big hefty ones, and there are six or seven now I think so if you like the first one you won't run out of things to read for a while!

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

Also agree with A Suitable Boy and Gone with the Wind

The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Penman (Wars of the Roses theme)

Game of thrones by rr George.

The same suggestion as titferbrains I know this much is true by Wally Lamb is a great book.

Woman in White and Gone with the Wind both fantastic, I agree.
The Lady Elizabeth and Jane Grey (?) by Alison Wier are also good for historical nevels (loosely based on their lives)